Enrollment trends and factors that influence foreign language study in colleges and universities are discussed. Most college foreign language programs have emphasized the study of literature and have not been committed to the training of teachers or the teaching of civilization or culture. It appears that students' concern about the job market and…

This report describes the seven-week program of the first-, second-, and third-year German language courses taught at Middlebury College during the summer of 1977. This was an intensive program with at least four hours of formal classroom instruction per day. The high scores achieved on the MLA-Cooperative Foreign Language Tests, Forms LA and MA,…

During a panel discussion on high school-university relations, with reference to language programs, the following problems were isolated: student attitudes toward academic work; non-academically inclined versus academically inclined students; differing levels of proficiency among incoming freshmen; different methodologies; and reduction in…

The importance of teaching culture in foreign language programs has long been recognized. The most exciting and promising new development in the teaching of culture is the appearance of introductory culture courses taught in English. The use of such courses has been advocated to lure reluctant students into language classes. If this is the primary…

Extracts are given from the 78-page survey which deals with the changing pattern of enrollments in university language courses and with changes in range, structure and orientation of university language courses. An address from which the full report may be obtained is given. (RM)

A transcript is provided of a radio program broadcast February 24, 1978, on the state of foreign language education. The participants in the discussion were leaders in the field, teachers and students from many parts of the United States and from all educational levels. The subjects covered are: some problems facing foreign language programs; the…

In order to offer students more stimulating lab learning, teachers at the University of Hawaii have developed the "lab sheet," a procedure that combines listening and writing skills. It may be adapted for almost any text and language learning level. With its introduction, lab attendance increased nearly 20 percent. (Author/RM)

The foreign language teaching situation in community colleges is discussed. Foreign language teaching in community colleges tends to be demanding due to the limited curriculum of such institutions, limited enrollment in foreign language courses, and the heterogeneity of the student population in terms of career goals, educational preparation, and…

The Department of Germanic Languages at the University of Texas at Austin has developed a language program in which students are trained in listening and reading comprehension before practicing production. The main objective was to improve student attitudes and reduce attrition between semesters. (SW)

Teachers of foreign languages should inform the public about foreign language programs in an attempt to gain support for these programs. Part of public relations involves communicating to the public the achievements of students and programs. Suggestions for reaching the public include community language clubs, concerts, and theatrical productions.…

This paper describes a method of language teaching known as counseling-learning, which attends to the psychological and emotional needs of students. The traditional approach to language instruction has generally underestimated this aspect of learning and its importance. The counseling-learning method relies on untapped sources within the student…

An experimental course in college-level, introductory German, based on a modification of Fred S. Keller's work in individualized instruction, is described in this study. The establishment of specific time limits for completion of predetermined subject matter and the provision of tutorial services are essential variations from the classical…

A two-phase survey was conducted by the Center for Applied Linguistics Clearinghouse for Self-Instructional Language Materials to (1) identify modern language departments of U.S. colleges and universities using programed materials, and (2) describe the extent of the departments' use and development of such materials. A brief description of the…

This study was conducted to identify successful foreign language programs in undergraduate institutions of higher learning and to examine those factors which were felt to have contributed to their success. The study attempted to find patterns and approaches to foreign language instruction which might be generalized, reproduced, or adapted by other…